Video - How to Make a Polymer Clay Heart

Learn how to make a whimsical polymer clay heart with screw in his head. Craftside blogger/author/craftster Stefanie Girard and "Polymer Clay and Mixed Media " author Christi Friesen...
How to Make a Polymer Clay Heart

ArtTrader Magazine - Free Onliine PDF 42 Page Download

Awesome online magazine. ArtTrader is for ATC or ATCO's but other things can be learned by reading this interesting ezine.

There is an awesome tutorial on making an organizer to store your marking pens, water color pens, pens of any kind, and or your crafting tools using Matt board.

Another how to on using Wax to add texture to your cards and or even scrap book projects. Using Wax to add texture can be used on many surfaces and projects.

So check out ArtTrader Magazine and enjoy!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Go Make Something »FREE Printables & Miniature Printables

Wow I hit the jackpot. Oops I should say I stumbled upon something I like!

Like the site sates, an archive of projects and printables by Lisa Vollrath

All kinds of FREE printables:
http://gomakesomething.com/category/print/


Here is the categorized page of the Miniature Printables: (This is just one of the many links you will find on the page linked above :All kinds of FREE printables).
Go Make Something » Miniature Printables

*Please do note that there are copyrights on the images provided. You can use them for non commercial purposes only, meaning you can not use them for items your going to try and profit on the sale of.

Enjoy!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

How To: Homemade Playdough

The smell of this stuff alone is enough to bring back my own childhood memories. I love this stuff. It will dry out in the air and beleive it or not is quite hard. I use the stuff to make molds for my polymer clay creations and it has a little shrinking that occurs which is quite nice since I love making miniatures, anything I mold from it does get a bit smaller once completely dry.

I do not know about this recipe as I have not personally tried it out but the real Play-Doh that I buy from the store is great for making molds and I have not seen any cracks in my molds. I have used cheaper brands of Play-Doh not by the original manufacturer and they shrink more and tend to have some cracks in some molds while some had none at all.

In addition you can now use Play-Doh with polymer clay cane production. You make the cane image and if you wish to keep the shape of the image like lets say a fish for example, you would wrap the surrounding areas of the fish with the Play-Doh rather than using translucent clay and or a polymer clay border. Most canes are round or square but the images within are the shape they take. By using the Play-Doh you can bake the clay canes so the shape remains for easy slicing of the cane. You then can wash off the Play-Doh from the existing polymer Clay image shape and the shape should remain without the need for a border.

See the video I have provided here below:


This is great for the kids, its Summer so let them have some fun with something easy and cheep to make and easy to clean up after as well.

Enjoy!
Apartment Therapy ohdeedoh How To: Homemade Playdough

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Matchbox Chest of Drawers - Tutorial

Very creative craft, Can use smaller matchboxes for smaller chest of drawers. Nice tutorials, Enjoy!

Things to Make and Do - Matchbox Chest of Drawers

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Bottlecap Magnets Project

Quite a nice project. Create these nice eye catching magnets.

This project is similar to the Marble Magnet tutorial I posted last night.

Enjoy!

Bottlecap Magnets Project

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Drink Can Tinwork - Nice Recycle How To

Safety This project makes use of very thin sheet metal that is likely to have sharp, jagged edges and is prone to springing back.
Great care should be taken to avoid injury.
This project probably isn't suitable for children - and certainly not without supervision.

I see many possibilities with this one. I already have been using the aluminum cans to cut shapes from paper punches and I make plates and bowls, miniature prep boards etc.., I can imagine the Nice miniature trays and items that can be made using recycled cans.

Try taking the following tutorial and putting your own twist on it. Punch holes in the sides of the box and create a nice candle burner that will illuminate the light of the pattern of the holes you have punched into it.
Create a Jewelry set using the tame pattern you create on the box and include it as a gift box set.

Atomic Shrimp - Drink Can Tin work

Enjoy!!!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Joshua's Free Polymer Clay Craft Projects!

The title of this post speaks for itself. I am so proud to have young artists like this to pull inspiration from. So creative and such a go getter at such a young age. You will love these Free Polymer Clay craft Projects!

Enjoy!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Make Your Own Craft Dough Clay

This is a tutorial on how to make your own craft dough clay which is nice for making flowers and other things that you would and could make with polymer clay, Fimo, Sculpey, cold porcelain or other air dry clay. This is an air dry clay and its very easy to make using slices of bread. I have made some nice pins in the past using this method and I love the smooth finish I was able to achieve with the finished product. Once sealed with a basic glue water 1/2 to 1/2 mix the shine was incredible and I still have the pin I made many many years ago and its held up well.

http://www.make-stuff.com/projects/craftbreaddough.html

Enjoy!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Box Templates - Paperandmore.com

Free Templates to download and create your own gift boxes.


Use a photocopier to enlarge or reduce the image to suit your needs.
Fold along the dotted lines
Use a straightedge to score fold lines, making certain the lines are accurate.


Box Templates - Paperandmore.com

Origami Paper Box

For more Origami and Making use of some Recyclable Stuff. This tiny box and tiny gift is made from a colorful red and white Netflix order form.

Origami Paper Box

Enjoy!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Unwanted Vinyl Record Projects!

If your like me and you love recycled and upcycled craft projects your going to love this one.

Get out those Albums and lets have some fun with those old vinyl records. Albums are easy to get from Freecycle, Garage Sales, Thrift Stores and you may just have a nice collection up in a closet in your house. Check the attic or that old storage shed. Sure to find an album or two to try some of any of these awesome things with them. Just look at what these people created with some of the old albums.

Not a tutorial but a nice look through may items made from those old records.

Weekly DIY Roundup: Unwanted Vinyl Record Projects! ThreadBanger - D.I.Y Fashion & Style

My favorite is the Mantal Clock, I love the way it looks like it melted and dripped right there. Awesome!!!

Enjoy!
Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Paper flower tutorial

Simple and Easy. Nice results!
Paper flower tutorial

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Etsy : Shop by Color

If you have a certain color you need to go with that new outfit you can search items being sold on Etsy by color. Its neat and interactive. Check it out and then please come back and tell me what you think about it. Useful, not so useful, waste of an Etsy Space, etc..?

Etsy :: Shop by Color

I think it could be useful and it is cool but certainly colorful.

Enjoy!!!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

3D animation shows how to fold an origami peace crane . Animated origami diagrams and instructions.

3D animation shows how to fold an origami peace crane . Animated origami diagrams and instructions.


This was a neat site, and if you like origami paper folding crafts you will just love the animation how to instructions.

Enjoy!!!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Make Your Own Marble Magnets

On a site called Not Martha, I found a nice little tutorial to create your own Marble Magnets. These baby magnify images through them and with a magnet on the back you have a really nice finished item.
Click here to Make Marble Magnets

Going to Grandma's Laptop Case

Get crafty and create a great looking travel case for your laptop or netbooks.

I not only recommend this as a great project for beginner crafters I think that you would just have to have a bag to use for the case. The same thing could done to a business breif cases, lunch box case and or a case that is made just for your laptop. So next time your out looking to buy something stylish to carry your laptop, netbook, MP3 player, PSP, Nano, or other portable devices of yours around in, don't hesitate to buy the right one that fits it and get crafty and make it your own with these easy how to instructions.

Craftzine.com blog : Going to Grandma's Laptop Case

Enjoy!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Sealing/Finishing Your Polymer Clay Creations

Many people seem to have the same question about finishing their polymer clay pieces. What type of gloss sealer to use on beads that will hold up against many years of wear against the skin, not turn your projects into complete clumps of goo or turn things yellow which in turn will not allow the true intended colors of what you create to show through the sealer.

I myself have in the past used Sculpey Glazes which come in Gloss Luster, Semi Gloss and and Matt. All work well for some creations and its air drying so you bake your items, sand them if you wish and then dip or brush on the Sculpey Glaze with the desired finish of choice. I recommend brushing on any sealer you use, as dipping items can cause large drips of sealer to build up on the ends and the result not only does not look very professional but those dried up blops of drips can more easily peal away from the item leaving it un-sealed and thus very unfinished in the long run. Many gloss finishes brushed on will leave brush marks if you do not use a good soft brush, but for those sealers you can put into the oven for a few moments at like 200 degrees (US) the heating will not only set the sealer on your piece but will eliminate any of those brush marks in most cases.

Now there are a few other products out on the market I have heard about using. Obviously everyone has heard of the "Future" Floor Polish. Its cheep for many and easily available for most people in most grocery store isles. Not if your me though, I couldn't find Future but found another product called Quick Shine and well I purchased it but only tried it out once and I really did not mind the finish but I really did not notice much of one either. It was the first time I was trying to seal something. The bottle is as large as the Future but sitting on a shelf collecting dust, at least until I do some more testing with the stuff at a later date.

Krylon Triple Thick is great stuff, not cheep though and it comes in a container much like cold cream would come in with a screw top lid. Thats if you can find the stuff. I have been to Pearl which is a major supplier of paints and glazes, glosses etc., and they did not have it. Told me to try Sherman Williams as they are the ones who create Krylon. You could use it right out of the original container or put some in a smaller container for quick and repetitive uses. Its a good idea to do that with any sealer you use often. Its easier to use in this manner you will find, clean up is easier to. Any unused portions can be kept in their original containers longer since your not opening and closing the containers constantly allowing air to get into it and eventually dry it out over time.

So since not being able to find Future, and not trusting the Quick Shine and not being able to yet find Triple Thick from Krylon, I just purchased from Michael's Crafts some Clear Gloss Glaze from Delta which is an Air-Dry PermEnamel (Says Step 3 on it) so I assume its a part of a few other steps for something, but I just got the 2 FL 0z plastic flip top jar. It says its for Glass, Ceramic & Tile. It says though that its not for surfaces with food, which I don't use polymer clay with food items anyway, but it says it cleans up with water and soap and takes 10 days to fully dry. I don't always have that kind of time to wait. But I do like the shine it gave the items I have sealed with it. Its small but only cost a few dollars. Not sure of the long term effects of what is coated with it.

Mod Podge. Yep the good ol' stuff for decoupage and other crafts that acts like a glue. If you ask me it is a watered down form of Elmer's white glue that dries clear. Which I have used with some success in the past for my Air-dry-clay like sculptures. I love the gloss shine it gives and I believe its water proof once dried completely but I have felt my beads felt a little magnetic like, as if there were sticking together. Oddly though they always pull apart with ease and no residue or any sign that they were sticking. Almost like static electricity was holding them as such. I used the one that is marked Gloss and has a dark orange label on the outside of it. Its cheep and you get allot for the money and it can be used for many other crafts as well as a sealer and or a glue.

Now many well known artists who create with polymer clay and who make allot of wearable art items are using MinWax Varathane.
Water Based Varathane Diamond Polyurethane Interior to be exact which is how the label might read. I am sure you can find it in any hardware store that sells paints and stains as well as possibly Wall-Mart which the one by me does have a paint department. I could go on and on and tell you about this wonderfully recommended product but I would much rather leave it to the wonderful Sarajane of Poly Clay Gallery as she has a wonderful write up about the stuff, her own use over many years and her own personal recommendation of it. Like anyone Sarajane has her opinion but she is regarded an expert in her craft working with polymer clay and her words to me are like reading the polymer clay bible. I trust what she says and would try anything she recommended. Her things are amazing and all look wonderful. Also she has an image up on her page about the varathane that shows you exactly what to look for when you go out to the store to get some of this great stuff.

Varathane Diamond Polyurethane

I have heard that MinWax PolyCrylic , (make sure it says PolyCrylic on it) can also be used. You can find this is Wall-Mart as well as any hardware store that should have a nice decent sized paint department. I have heard the PolyCrylic is less expensive than the Varathane. Not sure of the odor when using it though. There are two different sheens, Gloss and Satin. The gloss is preferred as the satin is nor of a semi gloss. It to is a water based acyclic made to protect hard wood decks in the outdoors, so its got to be good enough to hold up on your clay projects.

Remember any sealer or paint you use on Polymer clay should be water based and not have or be mixed with oils in any way or form. Polymer clay is an oil based product and mixing something with same type of components will melt into it and eat through and ruin details etc. It never hurts to test small items first to see whatever sealer you have will do.

Enjoy!

If you have tried any of the sealers listed here and or others, please do write to me and or just leave a comment here to let us know what it is, what it does, and where you can get it. I would love for this to be a post allot of polymer clay and other clay artists can come and see for helpful and most useful information regarding the sealing of their artwork, making it permanent and safe to wear as well as kept nice for many years to come.

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

How-to-make-beads-from-Polymer Clay

Well this is from Silastones. A talented polymer clay artist who has made some neat slide show tutorials as well as there are instructions on making the wonderful Lava Beads using Rock (Coarse) Salt.

This artist like many others I have been finding lately do not have the FOLLOW feature within their blog page. I think they don't wish to be followed, but perhaps they do not even know what the follow feature is. Well without it I can not seem to add them to the list of blogs on Blogger I do follow. When I list blogs my followers can see which blogs I am following. This helps out everyone, so please if your an artist, or even just a blogger, please do Add the Follow Gadget to your blogs so you can easily be followed. Subscribing to your blog apparently is not the same thing.

In addition there is a tutorial for beads using 5 different colors which is cool and produced some really nice beads, and then there is the Skinner Blend Gane. Make a Frame for that thing and or make a shaved magic or whatever you call it pendant.

How-to-make-beads-from-Polymerclay

PS: I found another blog of Silastones at http://www.silastones.blogspot.com/ which is full of some very colorful and unique polymer clay wearables and art. Check it out. Still I can not follow her. I hope having this post here will allow me and others a way back to continue to keep an eye on her wonderful things.

Enjoy!!
Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Printable Michael's, AC Moore, Joann's, and other crafts coupons

Its that time again and new coupons have been posted. Michael's 50% off any one item, good until July 30th, 2009. AC Moore, Hobby Lobby and others. Get them while they are good. Free printable Coupons. Follow them for updates whenever new coupons are posted.

Printable Michael's, AC Moore, Joann's, and other crafts coupons

Enjoy!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

My Steampunk Vintage Watch Movement Ring - From Kevin Lindholm

It finally arrived. My 1st steampunk piece made by someone other than myself. This is a ring I posted about bidding on and winning off eBay last week. I wanted to get it first before posting anything about it. Well I have it now and I am ready to blog blog blog about it. Which reminds me I need to leave excellent feedback for this seller/artist.

First off the seller is scurved http://myworld.ebay.com/scurved. His name is Kevin Lindolm. I wish to add that I feel I stole this ring from him. I really do feel this way, its a beautiful piece of wearable art and I jumped into the auction at the last minute bidding and winning it for only $1.75 cents including shipping. I also want to add that the postage shows on the outside of the envelope as well as the delivery confirmation which was purchased. This artist/seller paid more for shipping this ring to me than I paid for the ring.

So my way of trying to pay this person back is to blog about it, and hope that my followers see what a nice piece of wearable art this is I received. Not only this but perhaps this person made a customer for life. I would certainly look to them as a seller on eBay or anywhere to see what they have in the event I needed to purchase a gift for someone.

One of the things I realized in what has happened here is this:

Some auction sites like eBay and most certainly on Etsy allows you to search for items by price range. Lowest price to highest, or highest to lowest. When you add an item with a low starting bid you get noticed. I have seen and heard on Etsy of people listing items for only 20 cents. When you know that is the cost to list that item alone, you wonder how can one list an item so low. Well its the price that the artist pays for advertising, because while you just found them because of their 20 cent listed items you will more than likely look around their store and see their items which yield a higher dollar amount for their purchase. Its a marketing tactic being used now since there are so many sites out there now which allow you an easy to set up store venue where you can unload your creations and supplies. ArtFire unlike eBay will allow you to set up a store and link to your outside website(s) and other stores, blogs, twitter account, etc..

So bottom line here is I am so so very happy with this ring. Its got lots of neat gears and even has jewels in it. It is not scratched or damaged in any way and I am really amazed at the quality of the watch movement itself, I love this ring!!! It also came in a very nice new red velvet ring box. Perfect for gift giving and ready to be given as soon as its received from Kevin in Fresno California.

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Miniature Luix XV - By Regina Passy-Yip

It was a long time Regina Passy-Yip had been thinking about this little project. It began as a challange between brazilian miniaturists; and they had decided to make a furniture in the stile of king Luis XV. Now I want to show you Regina's little "Luis XV Passy".
mini reforma - UOL Blog

Enjoy!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

The Shirt

I saw this and had to blog about it. Everyone who reads this right now has got to have a bill in their in their pocket and can try this. It looks pretty simple to do. I was thinking how nice it would be to use colored paper, or fabric and make miniature shirts for your dolls using the same folding steps.

Enjoy !
The Shirt


Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

sidewalk chalk guy

Art has a new direction and when you see these from this guy your sure to sit in sheer wonder, amazed by his talents. I have seen this guys work before, passed through emails forwarded to everyone and then to me and back again. I think its best kept on the dudes website and then linked from here in my blog

Check out the sidewalk chalk guy.

Enjoy!!!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

UV Polymer Clay Art - Its Beautiful and It Glows!!!

You have to see this. So beautiful, just stunning, and the cane covered areas glow when the lights go out. I have never seen anything quite like this before, and thus I had to blog about it. Check it out and then please leave me a comment and let me know what you think about it. Maybe you will try your hand at trying to make some neat glow in the dark polymer clay art forms.

Cre8ively Yours

Andrea "Cre8"

Look what I won - June Baby Challenge

My June Baby Challenge Drawing prize came in from Tantie of Tanties Miniatures. She had volunteered the prize for the month in my miniatures group Miniatures Collectors Club on Yahoo. It was a fun challenge and I did it for the fun and to challenge my own abilities, not for the prize but boy was I surprised to have won something when my name was chosen from a hat.

In all fairness for a challenge the prize was won with a name being selected from a hat. Only those who participated had their name added to the hat. Each month a new member has volunteered to send a prize. Its a very nice gesture and one I certainly am appreciative for.

Tantie was wonderful in doing just this, and now as a result I have a beautiful miniature clothes pins hanging bag for my future laundry scene. Its complete with 3 tiny wooden clothes pins that have been stained. Such detail in such a tiny creation.

Tantie is a GSOLFOT miniaturist artisan. If you are not familiar with GSOLFOT it is a group of miniaturists whom have become quite well known in the miniature world as being quite creative for what they can do in miniature as well as bringing a wilder side to miniatures. GSOLFOT stands for GREEN SOCK ON LEFT FOOT ON TUESDAY. Its never made any sense to me just seeing or reading it aloud, however if my memory serves me correctly I believe they tell you what its all about from their website. http://www.gsolfot.com/. A new miniaturist Noni came up with it just making a comment about people signing her guest book on her photo site.

Tantie MacTier and Mike Mirealt of Tanties Miniatures are in Montreal, Quebec Canada and can be reached by appointment only. Any information you may wish to obtain to get in touch with Tantie or Mike please let me know and I will be happy to provide you with her email and or contact number you could call her. She does not have a website but she does have a WebShots account of her miniatures at http://community.webshots.com/user/tanties . Enjoy!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

H2o Gardens Disappearing Waterfall

Okay this is a craft that I just had to blog about. One reason is I myself have 2 (Two) water ponds for our 6 turtles that outline my front walkway near the entrance of our home. Also because its an art form that may not get the recognition as so. It takes creative ability as well as the knowledge of gravity when it comes to water flowing up or down. Also if your going to build a water garden pond to house fish and or other aquatic life, you should know what your going to put in and what you will need for each square foot of water so you have the correct depth and height for your needs.

This is my brother's disappearing waterfall. I believe it was taken outside of his home in Sarasota Florida. The little helper is my Nephew Brandon. I thought they did a beautiful job of setting up the video to show how they started and how easily they accomplished such a beautiful and serene water feature outside their home, that they, their family, friends, neighbors and outside wild life and elements can now enjoy. What a nice upgrade to their home as a pond and or fountain can increase the value of your home.
If you are interested in Water Garden and Pond Supplies for your next outdoor or indoor project, do shop http://www.123ponds.com/ for all the best prices and deals in water garden and pond supplies, including but not limited to pond fish foods, spitters, pond liners, pumps, and everything you could want or need for your pond.

TinyCraft's Tiny TV Video Tutorials and Information

Many people do not yet realize that on my website I have a whole bunch of how to videos as well as videos containing lots of wonderful eye candy to help inspire you and your muse to create using a variety of craft methods. Everything from A-Z crafts. If you do not yet see it there I can assure you things are on the way. I have been working on listing these videos in my YouTube channel play lists to my public for a few years now. I only add the very best of what you will want to see and or hear.

Just to give you a small sample of what I have there...currently I have up the following types of videos for your enjoyment:
83 Doll Houses and Miniatures (not clay) videos
15 Doll Videos
36 Beading Videos
21 How Things Are Made Videos
21 How To Draw Videos
13 videos for Molding and Casting
20 Videos for Other Clay Sculpts
60Paper Tutorial videos
187 Polymer Clay How To Videos
72 Polymer Clay Sculpting Videos
...and many more for ceramics, crochet, knitting, painting and miscellaneous things you just might find useful.

TinyCraft's Tiny TV Video Tutorials and Information

Or here is the actual link in case the link above does not function for you.
http://tinycrafts.com/videotuts.html

Grab a Cup-O-Joe and or your other favorite beverage of choice and plan to stay for a while.

Enjoy!!!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Faux Leather Tag Project - Polymer Clay Web

Need I say more these are beautiful and look just like real leather luggage tags. This is a free online tutorial for your creative enjoyment.

Faux Leather Tag Project - Polymer Clay Web

Cre8ively Yours

Andrea "Cre8"

Steampunk - Where To Buy The Steamy Supplies

A few days ago before falling ill to what I am now calling the flu, I sought out to find watch, clock parts. gears, wheels, cogs, barrels, plates, screws, balance wheels, springs, clutches, crowns, jewels and clicks. Yes these are all actual clock/watch part terminology used to name the parts they represent. I found some as well as so many things that had been made using some of these brass and copper mostly very tiny parts. To my surprise they were not all that hard to find and I am sure with a more lengthy search I might have come up with so much more information, suppliers and inspiring eye candy than I have which I am posting here tonight.

Now I as a multimedia artist create Antique, Vintage, Steampunk, altered art, Goth, Neo Victorian, Upcycled, Recycled and Repurposed jewelry, sculptures and other art. I have been for many years creating my own art with cogs, gears, screws, springs and jewels but never before thought it was something that would one day become as big as its getting the attention it seems to be gathering now that its adopted the term Steampunk (1987). Time to bring out those pieces I had not given away I guess if I can ever find them.

So here is what I found in case you to would like to jump on the steam-machine era here in this one. These are just a few of the places I found online to purchase such needed materials for your next Steampunk style attempts. *Please note that these items may only be small enough for small projects and larger watch or even clock parts may be more suited to what you wish to create, thus I am sure you will find what you need the same way I have in searching eBay for Steampunk, Clock Parts, Watch Parts, Brass Filigree, Copper Parts.

1) My Wycked Ways Now known as the OOAK Artist Emporium
Sells 100+ (100 or more) of the above named parts in a small tin for under $5, you get the parts and the nice reusable tin. Additionally you can find them on eBay just search Steampunk or watch parts and see what you come up with. Also look for filigree charms and dangles. Many of these stamped brass, bronze and silver items go great with the look.

2) Watch Parts A HOROLOGIST'S SOURCE -Vintage Watch Parts and Movements
An eBay store (Seller) who sells lots of vintage watch faces, watch dials, watch movements, and other vintage and or antique items and larger watch parts like pocket watches etc.


3) Alicias Artwork on EBay A nice assortment of gears and watch parts sold in lots at Buy It Now prices also in the nice reusable tin and FREE SHIPPING.

4) Arrow Sarah on EBay Another seller who sells a nice assortment of gears and watch parts selling in large lots with auction and buy it now prices, I think the reusable tins and also offers FREE SHIPPING.

Additionally you should look for items made of brass, copper, bronze, magnifying lenses and or just anything that looks vintage that will fit in with the SP style. I am sure you may already have some things around your house now that you need not even look to purchase them anywhere else. Old phones, transistor radios, mechanical appliances...just open them up and take a peak inside, what you find may not only surprise you but may certainly inspire you to create something of this genre.

Think of the day when earlier things were invented and how little those things may have changed over the years that may now today reside inside the mechanical toys we now know of and might easily be able to get our cre8ive hands on.

Now this post was not meant to discuss varied prices, quality or quantity of the parts you can get from any of the above sellers I make mention of, and I am not a sponsor, paid advertiser and or even a current customer of any of them (not yet anyway ). However "My Wycked Ways" has been a listed site linked from my website http://www.tinycrafts.com/ for some time now, and I have never heard anything bad of her products or her art. She herself is an artist and knows the value and quality us artists desire to use in our crafts. While her prices may not be the best as she herself admits, she does promote the quality she carries in most of the items she sells, and I for one respect that.

What I am saying above is do look around and see what you find. I believe there are possibly people on EBay who are selling off the lots (grosses) of parts they purchase after they remove what they used, need, or just preferred. Leaving who knows what for your use in the lot being sold. You perhaps could spend a little more time as I just had (in trying to retrieve the links for your convenience), and find many more people or stores on EBay perhaps through their own online stores selling these types of parts as well. I would myself want to look to a large dealer who sells nothing but the parts, and who has a good feedback rating or reputation from others who create with them.

I have noted that some of these stores are not taking images of the individual containers or lots you will actually receive rather they will state that similar parts will be included in excess of the number of parts being sold in that listing/auction. Example "vintage WATCH parts STEAMPUNK altered ART Gears 500+lot". The 500+ indicates you will receive well over 500 parts, or just over 500 parts.

I am sure they do not wish to count those tiny little parts, they are so small in many of the lots and not until you see them up against a USA Dime (10 cents piece) can you see just how tiny. (See Image on Right) They do seem to weigh out a number of grams for your purchase and some will promise you will be very happy with what you get. You may not want many of those parts yourself and thus may look for auctions and or listings which only sell the gears, or wheels, dials, etc., you think you will need for your project(s).

Also in my search for the above I managed to stumble upon an eBay artist who makes watch movement wearable art and I bid on and won a ring with shipping included for just $1.75. I will be happy to post a picture of me wearing it as soon as it arrives. I will also at that time post who it was I purchased it from in case you would like to buy or fashion one of your very own. I first wish to be sure its worth the mention. It looks great and is adjustable, I can not wait to receive it so now I have been guarding my mailbox like a hungry hawk. More like a hungry artist happy to get her very 1st Steampunk art item from a fellow artist other than myself.

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Steampunk What! Just what is the hype all about?

This is one of those subjects I just can not get off my mind no matter what I have tried. Have you ever felt like you are reborn and lived many past lives in which sometimes things just come naturally to you and or you are drawn to them as if they had a part in your past? This is exactly that for me and while I still have yet to share in my crafty ways of what I can produce on my own from my recollections, I continue to sketch out ideas in mind of what I would like to create one day.

I have blogged about Steampunk (Speculative Science Fiction) previously as well as it seems for me to just keep coming up in everything I do and see. I have yet to share anything I have created in my past as many of the things created I had given as gifts and or donated to charitable causes. Never thinking my muses version of art at that time might become as popular as it is quickly becoming in this day and age.

I found that it was a period back in the early 1900's that was a literary genre, where authors wrote speculative stories about what could have occurred if the information revolution had happened a century earlier in the middle of the Victorian era (Often England), my favorite of all the eras in time.

Now to take you further into the incredible journey of exactly what is this thing many all now refer to as Steampunk I thought it would be great to show you through books and or movies you may remember. Nothing brought more insight to me to this era until I looked into this whole steamy thing that's got me so worked up just like those steam engine machines back in their day than when I remembered Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. IMHO (in my humble opinion) probably the most defining steam machine movies ever to be made, and more than likely the first literary author to start this whole Steamy thing in the first place. However other authors did follow in Verne's foot steps like H.G. Wells who wrote "The Time Machine" and who was known along with Verne's as "The Father's of Science Fiction". Adding to the list of inventors of machinery from that time period is Charles Babbage "The Father of the Computer", no it was not Bill Gates, it was Mr. Babbage who originated the concept of a programmable computer called the Analytical engine. Later other authors like Mark Twain and Mary Shelly added their own technological science fiction to the shelves of many libraries.

Long before it was even called Steampunk in the 1950's Disney came out with a number of movies that captured the essence of this style. In fact the term "Steampunk" did not come about until 1987 when it was used as a tongue in cheek variant of cyberpunk.

In my search for for additional movies and or content to list and or write about I found a blog for all to enjoy. It to can also give great insight to this past time and give you some inspiring eye candy for your own muse. http://bit.ly/16X1Wl


Additionally here is a video that could have saved me allot of typing LOL



Steam Machines, Steam Airplanes, Steam Ships, Steam Vessels & Heat Engines, whatever you refer to them as, they are now in this era referred to as Steampunk (see also Dieselpunk and or Retro-futurism) and its taking off into the art world like a virus and I certainly caught it bad. I hope you do to after reading this blog post from me.

Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did gathering the information to post it for you. Look for my next post on Steampunk materials to use in your art and where you can purchase some online for your own Steampunk art.

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

NEW Printable Michael's Crafts Coupon & Others

Enjoy 50% off any one regular priced item* at your local Michael's stores. Coupon valid thru Saturday, July 18, 2009.

Also there are coupons from AC Moore, Joann's Hobby Lobby
Printable Michael's, AC Moore, Joann's, and other crafts coupons

~hugs~
Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Amazing Mosaic Artist Breaks Records

I am in awe over this amazing artist Saimir Strati, who makes mosaics from something you nor I may ever have thought to use. I think this man is seriously talented and his ability to think outside the box has certainly shown strong through his art.

Can you guess what material this man uses? This incredible artist makes the most awesome mosaics. I have never myself seen anything like what this man can do. It's absolutely stunning, and certainly a shock when you see what he makes his art from. Such precision skill and allot of patience I'm sure.

He has other mosaics as well you should look through.

Enjoy!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

How to Make a Paper Mache Whale Wall Hanging | Ultimate Paper Mache

How to Make a Paper Mache Whale Wall Hanging Ultimate Paper Mache

This is an intermediate project using Paper Mache, however one could use Air Dry paper clay, polymer clay and or even cold porcelain clay which is also an air drying clay. Its also a great way to create an armature for then covering with polymer clay you need to bake in your oven. I can see a miniature version of this for a wall in a scene, and or as wearable art like a broach, focal charm, keychain, or one of those things you hang from the rear view mirror of your car even.

Enjoy!!!

Cre8ively Yours

Andrea "Cre8"

Blog Secrets

Blog Secrets and It's All Free!!!!

A useful resource to help you do everything and anything with your blogger blog. Also beautiful backgrounds and blog templates.
Check them out you won't be sorry that you did. Awesome graphics for your blogs. The Cutest Blog On The Block is exactly what you can have thanks to these cool folks.

Enjoy!!!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Twitter Backgrounds handPicked from DeviantArt

Great Graphics Artist Cheth Studios. Awesome backgrounds for twitter and you can use them on your desktop as well. Better if optomized from within an imagine manipulation program like Photo Shop, Corel Paint, Etc.. Beautiful and most creative high quality FREE backgrounds.


Twitter Backgrounds handPicked from DeviantArt cheth Studios

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

FireWorks - In Case You Missed Them

My 4th of July Celebration...Short but sweet!

I had to work, but I was able to go outside for a few moments just in time to catch the very end of a nice little fireworks display put on by my rich neighbors. I did not have money to burn this year but figuring they did it was nice to live near them so this could be seen. I did miss a much larger light show before I was able to head on outside. I appreciate the small glimpse of pretties I did see :)

Have a Look...




Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Making Your Own Parrot Toys - Video

I saw this and had to post it. For one YouTube is performing some maintenance now and so I was unable to successfully add this video to my play list. Its certainly worth watching for anyone who is owns pets. Its a craft and I know of a few people of make allot of money with their hobby as well as save allot of money being able to make great toys for their fine feathered friends. This lady knows her stuff about parrots and their toys, I felt she is certainly worth a listen.

Now I own a beautiful parrot Chico. This is my Chico. Just like the parrot in the background of the following video he is a Quaker and very intelligent. He loves chewing on a nylon strap I have on his cage to secure the door so he does not escape since he knows how to undo the latch on his cage and open the door. I would allow him his own choice of escape had I not had cats and curious large doggies around. I have one of those more desired metal rings that you spin a little loop either open or closed and its needed to fasten the door that holds his water dish from being tossed off the cage as he knows how to do. I was happy to happen upon this video and I now know of a few containers and some beads I can use to make a nice toy or two for him to help keep him busy.

Anyone who knows birds knows some of them can go through toys at an alarming rate. Weather your a bird owners or if you have friends with birds you can make some great gifts, so enjoy!



If the video above does not play please try this link below.

YouTube - making your own parrot toys

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

NEW COOL SOCIAL NETWORKING CRAFT SITE

This website puts a whole new spin on crafts DIY (Do It Yourself) on the internet, mixing it up with a social networking style that allows the users to add their own profiles, create lists of the things they wish to create and share their own craft project how to instructions and what they themselves can create with those made by other user/members. Best of all this site is 100% FREE!!! Right now there is just under 12 thousand crafts and just under 21 thousand members. You can see the ratio of members who post their own how to crafts to those who joined to see them are about half right now. I hope to see this site make it better in the near future.

So I thought this was a great site to write about tonight and hope that my followers all go and take a look. Join and if you do....look me up. The link here is to my personal profile on Cut Out + Keep.

Cut Out + Keep User » Cre8

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Wire Rings - Wire Wrapped Wearables

I wanted to blog about wire wrapping jewelry because no one taught me how to do it, and I never really even looked at anyone else's work to see what could be done, I just picked up some wire and one of my handmade polymer clay beads and started to create something that each time with each bead I made something so creative that I have already decided this is a niche for me I need to focus more on.

I love polymer clay, and I love jewelry, so why not incorporate the two and use them to the best of my abilities. The ring shown here in the image is the 1st one of its kind made by me. It already has a new home with a new owner who wears it well. Its just ordinary 20 gauge copper wire I purchased at Wal-Mart in the plumbing/hardware section. It was under $3 for about 8 Yards of it. The ring itself as shown took little less than 1 foot of wire.

Additionally I just had to test to see how a ring would turn out using my polymer clay beads and the result is a beautiful and a stunning piece to wear just about anywhere. I went out to eat at our favorite neighborhood pizza restaurant and hubby could not wait to bring attention to it so that others could take notice of it. I love having a very sportive hubby to help show off my creativity. He has been enjoying the clay with me the last few weekends I have had off and I will soon be posting pictures of his wonderful first time creations.